Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lijian Zhao suggested the US had brought coronavirus to China
BBC: Coronavirus: China’s new army of tough-talking diplomats
Once upon a time Chinese statecraft was discreet and enigmatic.
Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state, wrote in his seminal study Diplomacy that "Beijing's diplomacy was so subtle and indirect that it largely went over our heads in Washington".
Governments in the West employed sinologists to interpret the opaque signals emanating from China's politburo.
Under its former leader, Deng Xiaoping, the country's declared strategy was to "hide its ability and bide its time". Well, not any more.
China has dispatched an increasingly vocal cadre of diplomats out into the world of social media to take on all comers with, at times, an eye-blinking frankness. Their aim is to defend China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and challenge those who question Beijing's version of events.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: BBC's Diplomatic correspondent James Landale calls China's diplomats "tough talking". Oh please. I have known Chinese diplomats for almost 35 years. They have always been blunt and tough. The only difference from then to now is that the media is finally reporting on it. But it is also true that some of these Chinese diplomats are now saying some incredibly stupid things that would never have made the light of day over 30 years ago when I was there. Case in point. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lijian Zhao accusing the US of bringing the coronavirus to China without any proof. This is not being "tough-talking". This is being irresponsible and buffoonish. .
